Since I came back from the states my CD shelves are full again and because I only own cheap IKEA ones which crash every now and then, I was thinking about finding some better ones. I thought that it would be nice to avoid the annoying process of CDs getting dusty and then cleaning them again. (Yes I hate cleaning CDs) So I tried to find shelves which make sure that no dust can come in, but actually I couldn't find that much
That's why I'm wondering how do you keep your CDs, especially if you have a lot of them.
I appreciate all hints and suggestions _________________

zgurl49
Commander

Joined: Aug 08, 2006
Member#: 15310
Posts: 819
Location: Minot, ND

Posted:
Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:43 am Post subject:

Well...currently we have too many CD's so they are stacked on a tiny little shelf, completely packed full, and I'm pretty sure some have fallen behind it even. _________________Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die tomorrow. - James Dean

Twopop
Rear Admiral (Ambassador)

Joined: Jul 21, 2004
Member#: 7382
Posts: 2673
Location: Oregon

Posted:
Wed Sep 15, 2010 3:42 pm Post subject:

Great question, Nessy! BQ & JERIC, or BhelPuri, Saffron, or Sirius (and plenty of others here no doubt) would be good sources to ask about ways to store large libraries.

Storing physical CDs/DVDs is always a problem. Thank goodness we can now buy downloads and store them digitally!

Here are a few ways I store my physical CDs:

An antique storage cabinet with drawers. It's like an old-fashioned library card cabinet but with larger drawers.
It's 67" x 33" x 17" (170 x 84 x 43 cm) with 24 drawers, each of which can hold 25-30 CDs for a total of 600 to 720 CDs.

Tall wooden storage cabinets with doors, 3-4 adjustable shelves. These aren't from IKEA but they probably have some just like them.
These are 72" x 30" 16" (182 x 76 x 40 cm). You could keep boxes of CDs in them, which would keep the dust off. I use them for vinyl record collection, VHS tapes, film books, etc.

For smaller collections, I put them in recycled plastic bins - the kind that you buy lettuce, fruit, etc. in. The CDs are a little higher than the rim so I can't fit the lids tight, but setting the lids on will still help keep off dust. These are in an entertainment center so are handy and stay clean.

Recently I have switched to 3-ring binders. These are 2.5" wide binders with Case Logic CD refill pages.
(I recommend the Case Logic brand over others because the holes are punched close to the CDs, not on an extended flap. That way, when the binder is closed, the pages don't stick out beyond the edge of the binder cover.)

Each page holds 8 CDs; each binder hold about 25 sheets, so that makes a total of 200 CDs per binder. This is a good storage method for CDs you have burned yourself.

molossus
Vice Admiral (Moderator)

Joined: Aug 09, 2005
Member#: 11167
Posts: 3007

Posted:
Wed Sep 15, 2010 3:47 pm Post subject:

Very nice post, Twopop.

NightHawkFan01
Lieutenant

Joined: Jun 24, 2010
Member#: 28964
Posts: 129

Posted:
Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:07 am Post subject:

the "entertainment" center in my space of the house is our old baby changing table - which is amazingly sturdy. I keep the printer in the bottom shelf, a server inside the mini-closet on the side... and store all (most) of my CDs in the drawer that's underneath. I also have some large CD cases (the large binder type with sleeves for the CD and cover slip) that house some of older CDs.

Storing physical CDs/DVDs is always a problem. Thank goodness we can now buy downloads and store them digitally!

Yes but actually I still have a copy of all the CDs i bought because I don't trust iTunes that much that it will have the only copy of a CD I bought. (But i still have two hard disks where my digital library is stored on)

Twopop wrote:

Those look very nice, but the problem is that you have to open every drawer or every box to find a CD and if they aren't organized perfectly you can search for a while

Twopop wrote:

I use those often to carry CDs around, for example when I brought my new CDs from the States to Germany.

Atm I have those:
I like that you can read the CD cases easily and that you can store quite a few in them. But the disadvantage is that they get dusty very fast and they collapse already when you look at them angrily and I wanna know that my collection is safe even at days i'm not in a good mood

Twopop
Rear Admiral (Ambassador)

Joined: Jul 21, 2004
Member#: 7382
Posts: 2673
Location: Oregon

Posted:
Thu Sep 16, 2010 11:11 am Post subject:

NessySheep wrote:

the problem is that you have to open every drawer or every box to find a CD and if they aren't organized perfectly you can search for a while

Mine are arranged alphabetically by title, and each drawer has a white card label on the front, just like a card catalog. I can find whatever CD I want instantly. Putting it back in the right spot is very easy, too.

I like your CD tower racks. Very easy to see what you have. Ever thought about making a clear plastic dust cover (like the ones you might put over a tablecloth)? It could have a slit in the front or even be open. Dust settles from above, so that should help a lot.

I run out of space with my CDs lol. I still look out for something that hold up._________________If you have it you don't need it. If you need it you don't have it. You need it to get it and you certainly need it to get more of it. Which means you don't have it to begin with people just know.